Luther Bangert was born and raised in the farmlands of the USA in a small town near the banks of the Mississippi river. Always taken with the unusual and enchanted, he developed a fascination with juggling at the age of 19. It ran deep, carrying him into the rich world of circus. Years of personal practice and development later, performing and traveling have led him to find other juggling, circus and movement communities around the world.
To Luther, juggling is both dance and martial art, a wondrous means of transferring spirit and sense to objects while exploring relationships with them both physically and philosophically. He performs both technically and fantastically, drawing on his movement experience, fusing the patterns of juggling with the organic movement of the body to flesh out fresh expression and depth.
Luther has performed with the Great Bombay Circus in India, has a degree in philosophy, holds a Guinness World Record for “Most Things Juggled Whilst Sword Swallowing”, and has performed in twenty countries across four continents in the last nine years. Most recently he has premiered his contemporary show ‘Distillations’ and is based in Philadelphia and the East Coast, performing and teaching juggling at the Circadium School of Contemporary Circus. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of the International Jugglers Association.
PERFORMANCE HIGHLIGHTS
2008 - 2023: CIRCUS PERFORMANCES + FESTIVALS
Fabrika Cabaret Club | Mar 2023 - present
PHILADELPHIA, PA
Performing solo act “no. 7” weekly as cast member of an upscale dinner theater variety show
Chicago Circus and Performing Arts Festival | Mar 2023
CHICAGO, IL
Performed solo show 'Distillations'
Poconos Juggling Festival | Mar 2023
LANSFORD, PA
Performed solo act 'Crossing' at regional juggling festival
Madison Juggling Festival | Jan 2023
MADISON, WI
Performed solo act 'Crossing' at regional juggling festival
Airplay Entertainment | Sept 2023 - present
PHILADELPHIA, USA
Performing at corporate functions and circus events around Philadelphia and New Jersey
75th Annual International Juggling Association Festival Welcome Show | Jul 2022 | CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA
Solo juggling act
Kleinkunstfestival Insel Usedom “Varieté am Meer” | Jun 2022 | HERINGSDORF, GERMANY
Solo juggling act
Night of Philosophy and Ideas | Feb 2020 | NYC, NY
Created and performed a group juggling act with Jérôme Thomas, Jörg Müller, and Martin Schwietzke
Holiday Train Show at the New York Botanical Gardens | Nov 2019 - Jan 2020 | BRONX, NY
With American Circus Theater
Performed solo juggling act
The Muse Circus | 2016 - 2020
Performed with ABCirque for various corporate events + shows in The Muse resident location and around the greater NYC area
Bindlestiff Circus | 2016, 2019, 2020, 2022 - present | NYC, NY
Performed variety nights and various events
Clowns Without Borders | 2016 | SAN ANTONIO, TX
Taught juggling and led physical theater workshops at St. PJ’s Children’s Home
Portland Juggling Festival | 2012 + 2016 | PORTLAND, OR
Performed in gala show + led workshop “Increasing the Kinespheric Canvas”
Freedom Family Circus | 2012 + 2014 | EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND
Performed daily in children’s shows and adult sideshows as a juggler and sword swallower
Moisture Festival | 2013 | SEATTLE, WA
Variety Performer
Wanderlust Circus | Sept 2011 - July 2012 | PORTLAND, OR
Juggler + sword swallower + character in multiple physical theatre productions
Great Bombay Circus | Nov 2010 + March - April 2011 | MYSORE + MANDYA + MANGALORE, INDIA
Juggler + unicyclist + sword swallower
Cirque Stupendo | June 2008 - Sept 2011 | IOWA CITY, IOWA
Co-founder, director, and performer (various disciplines)
2015 - 2023: STREET PERFORMING FESTIVALS
Solo Street Performer | 2012 - Present | 20+ countries
Performing the juggling show I created on streets, stages, and festivals
Linz Pflasterspektakel | Jul 2022 | LINZ, AUSTRIA
Accredited street performer
Festival Internazionale Artisti di Strada | Aug 2019 | MOIO DELLA CIVITELLA
Accredited street performer
San Marino International Arts Festival | Aug 2019 | SAN MARINO, SAN MARINO
“Pandora and the Afterthought” abstract performance art show with Cole Highnam
Inart Festival of Street Performers | Aug 2019 | TIVAT, MONTENEGRO
Accredited street performer
Internationales Kleinkunstfestival | June 2019 | USEDOM, GERMANY
Street and Stage Performance
Izmir International Fair | Sept 2018 | IZMIR, TURKEY
Street and Stage Performance
Ferrara Buskers Festival | Sept 2017 | FERRARA, ITALY
Accredited street performer
Dubai Marina Street Performer Festival | March 2015 | DUBAI, U.A.E.
Accredited Street Performer
Edinburgh Fringe Festival | Annually 2012-2017 | EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND
Street and stage performance throughout the festival
2014 - 2023: DANCE PERFORMANCES + ART FESTIVALS
Stanley Art Museum Opening | Aug 2022 | Stanley Museum | IOWA CITY, IA
Performed solo juggling act at museum opening event
‘Distillations’ Premiere | May 2022 | Filmscene | IOWA CITY, IA
Premiere of new solo contemporary juggling show outside of the local independent cinema and in two public parks
Iowa Dance Festival | October 2020 | Iowa City, IA
Performing movement and juggling piece “Still Life (Priority Express)”
Westfest Dance Festival | April 2019 | Westbeth Artists Residence | NYC, NY
Performed juggling and movement
Never Before, Never Again Improvisation Festival | Jan 2019 | Triskelion Arts | NYC, NY
Performed ‘in soft time.’ Festival curated by Rachel Mckinstry
Deltebre Dansa Festival | 2014 + 2015 + 2016 | DELTEBRE, SPAIN
Performed a solo stage show “Objects’ End”
Performed in a collaborative dance show under directors Erick Jimenez + Will Menter
Performed in a collaborative circus show under director Roberto Magro
Melaka Art and Performance Festival | 2015 | MELAKA, MALAYSIA
Performed both in a solo stage show and a collaborative creation in butoh and ritualism festival
Depth of Field by Chunky Move | 2015 | MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA
Juggled as accompaniment for contemporary dance show
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